In this edition of This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner tells the stories behind three inventors: an indoor plumbing innovator, a straw tinkerer, and the woman who still holds the record for the most patents among black, female inventors. We’ll also mark some notable business birthdays and say good-bye to the man who was most definitely a winner at The Game of Life.
More Podcast Episodes
innovation
Podcast
May 30, 2024
Powering the Future: How AI is Revolutionizing the Energy Industry
The energy industry is increasingly leveraging AI to analyze data from drones and sensors to predict future energy failures, reduce downtime and maintenance costs, and even optimize energy production by accurately predicting energy demand. A recent report by McKinsey estimated that AI could potentially enable the energy sector to realize up to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson explore the transformative impact of AI on the energy sector. Discover how AI-driven innovations are enhancing operational efficiency, predicting failures, optimizing energy production, and driving sustainability goals. Learn from industry leaders like Georgia Power and Constellation Energy on their AI journey towards improved operations, safety, and achieving net zero commitments. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the future of energy.
supply chain planning
Podcast
January 23, 2026
The Future of Supply Chain Planning: Gartner Takeaways and What’s Next
Automation is showing up everywhere in supply chain planning, but the winners aren’t the ones automating the most. They’re the ones choosing the right decisions to automate, bringing people along early, and using AI to build speed and confidence in planning. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Karin Bursa, CEO of NIRAKIO, welcome Noha Samara, Senior Director, Global Supply Chain at Gartner, to share key takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver. Noha unpacks why AI is shifting from “side experiment” to a core part of planning’s operating model, and why the most successful organizations define a clear human-machine strategy instead of trying to “spread AI like peanut butter.” The conversation spotlights the “people side” of transformation: change management, capability-building, and involving planners early so AI is implemented with teams, not to them. The group also dives into end-to-end data and scenario-driven range planning, including how top performers extend those range discussions with suppliers, customers, and trading partners. They close by emphasizing agility through targeted automation, clarity on humans “in/on/off the loop,” and why leaders can’t afford to sit on the sidelines as the pace of disruption and innovation accelerates.…